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 The
City of Burbank
Celebrates
Columbus Day
This U.S. holiday honors the European discovery of America. Columbus Day or
"El Dia de la Raza". The last decade has brought a wave of multicultural
awareness which has spun dissent about this holiday. The controversy came to
a head in 1992, the 500th anniversary of the "discovery or conquest" of
America depending on individual perspective.
The discovery of America happened before dawn, on October 12, 1492, when the
lookout of the "Pinta" shouted "Tierra! Tierra! This happy news came when
the dauntless explorer was almost ready to give in to his me's demands that
he turn back and give up the expedition. Today, Columbus Day is a holiday in
the United States, and in many parts of the world including Central and
South American countries. In Italy and Spain, Columbus is especially
honored.
In Barcelona, Spain, Claude's dramatic poem, "The Book of Christopher
Columbus: is performed in July. Moored at the waterfront is a replica of the
"Santa Maria" (in its actual size, 90 feet long with a bean of 20 feet).
Seats for two thousand spectators are available for this outdoor production.
At the end of the drama, the admiral is represented simultaneously be two
different actors. One shows him dying in poverty, while the other depicts
the great discoverer as "crowned with glory by posterity." So goes the
controversy of Columbus' legacy.
It is believed that the first celebration of the discovery of America
occurred in New York, on October 12, 1792, when the order of Columbia held a
dinner in order of Columbus. At that time the only statue of the great
discoverer in existence was situated in New York. However, when we
celebrated our centennial in 1876, the Italian citizens of Philadelphia had
collected enough money to erect a statue of their compatriot in Fairmount
Park.
Congress voted funds to help state an international exposition as a tribute
to the historic event and to Columbus himself. The Columbian Exposition took
place in Chicago in the summer of 1893 because it was not possible to
complete the buildings in time for an observance in 1892. It was attended by
millions of visitors from all over the world. Congress also asked the
President to issue a proclamation urging all Americans to observe the four
hundredth anniversary of our continent "by suitable exercises in their
schools, and other places of assembly."
In 1905, the governor of Colorado asked the people of his state to celebrate
the anniversary; in 1906, the mayor of Chicago made a similar request of the
citizens. The Knights of Columbus also kept urging the states to make the
date a legal holiday. Such a bill became a law in New York in 1909.
On October 12, 1909, two Italian cruisers and several American warships were
in New York Harbor. Everyone was thrilled when three small ships, replicas
of the "Santa Maria", the "Nina" and the "Pinta", moved slowly up the river,
as battleships dipped their colors and cannon boomed our salutes. On the
same day, the members of Italian societies and other organizations turned
out in force to parade up Fifth Avenue to Columbus Circle; and Governor
Hughes gave the chief address at a large gathering of the Knights of
Columbus in Carnegie Hall. After this impressive celebration, public opinion
grew in favor of making Columbus Day a legal holiday. It was not until
September 1934 that President Franklin D. Roosevelt sent out a proclamation,
asking all the forty-eight states to observe October 12 as a national
holiday. Finally, Columbus Day became a federal legal holiday in 1971 after
lobbying from the National Columbus Day Committee. Ever since, the second
Monday in October has meant closed schools and children chiming: "In
fourteen hundred and ninety-two, Columbus sailed the ocean blue."
Now, except for religious holidays, it is the only date in which all
Pan-American lands join in celebrating.
Christopher Columbus
(1451-1506)
European discoverer of the New World, born in Genoa, Italy. He went to sea
at 14, was shipwrecked in Portugal, and settled there c.1470. His plans to
reach India by sailing West were rejected by John II of Portugal but finally
supported by Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain. He set sail from Saltes on
August 3rd, 1492 in the Santa Maria, with 50 men, and attended by the Pinta
and Nina. He reached the Bahamas on October 12th, then visited Cuba and
Hispaniola (Haiti), where he left a small colony. He returned March 15th,
1493 to be received with highest honors by the court. His second voyage
(1493-96) led to the discovery of several Caribbean islands. During his
third voyage (1498-1500) he discovered the South American mainland, but
after a revolt against his command, he was sent home in irons by a newly
appointed royal governor. Restored to favor in Spain, he sailed on his last
great voyage (1502-4) along the South side of the Gulf of Mexico. He died at
Valladolid, Spain. In 1536, his remains and those of his son Diego, were
removed to Santo Domingo, in Hispaniola. They were returned to Spain in
1899, and interred in Seville Cathedral.
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